The prince is more stable

Chapter 605 The Net of Heaven is Vast
The Imperial Guards must be mobilized with a legitimate reason.

They had to either fight against foreign enemies, punish the disobedient, or quell a rebellion.

As the villagers rushed out in groups, the correctness of Zhao Xiaoqian's strategy of besieging Chai Family Village became increasingly apparent.

The farmhands were no pushovers, and Chai Ruona knew very well what kind of scum she had taken in.

Although Chai Ruona ordered the servants not to resist the royal army, the servants were not obedient children. They were all carrying cases on their shoulders, so how could they willingly surrender?

As a result, some impulsive and hot-tempered villagers immediately rushed out, willing to go in any direction as long as they could escape the village and survive.

No one expected that the imperial guards had already surrounded the manor, and it was impossible for the villagers to escape no matter which direction they chose.

Watching the villagers desperately try to break through the encirclement, Chai Ruona was so anxious she jumped up and down.

He didn't care about the lives of the farmhands, but the more they resisted, the heavier his crime would be as the head of the household.

Moreover, the identities and backgrounds of the farmhands are not verifiable. A little investigation would reveal that these farmhands are all murderers and robbers, and once caught, their fate is also death.

That's why so many villagers choose to take the risk, risking their lives in the hopes of escaping.

Chai Ruona was on the verge of collapse. He realized that he was trapped in a net from which he could not escape. The net tightened around him, making it difficult to even breathe.

Ignoring the villagers' repeated attempts to break through, Chai Ruona changed direction and rushed out as well.

However, he was clever. As he ran, he raised the imperial edict high above his head and shouted, "I am the hereditary Duke of Chongyi, bestowed by the Emperor Taizu of the Great Song Dynasty. I have an imperial edict here, bestowed by the Emperor Taizu!"

Although he was a bit disheveled, it worked. Chai Ruona charged out without anyone stopping him or being shot by the Imperial Guards.

Perhaps the imperial guards arrayed outside the manor had received orders, as they did not make things difficult for Chai Ruona and allowed him to rush to the front of the imperial guards' formation. Then, Chai Ruona dared not take another step, because a general shouted at him to stand still and not move.

Chai Ruona remained obediently still, holding the imperial edict high in both hands, as if afraid that the imperial guards would not see him and kill him as a criminal wanted by the court.

After a long while, the Imperial Guards finally parted to make way for an armored general who walked slowly over and casually told him to follow.

Even after passing through the Imperial Guard's lines, Chai Ruona could still hear bursts of gunfire and the distant screams of dying farmhands.

Chai Ruona was terrified, his face growing paler. Today, he had a clear and distinct impression of Zhao Xiaoqian's formidable power.

Although their last meeting was not pleasant, and Zhao Xiaoqian practically warned him by pointing his finger at his nose, Zhao Xiaoqian was still relatively amiable throughout.

Amidst the swirling snow and the towering banners of the army, the faint rumble of war drums echoed from the rear. As Chai Ruona walked through the ranks, he felt a chilling, cruel atmosphere envelop him, making him too afraid to even consider fleeing.

The general led him all the way to the rear guard, where Chai Ruona finally met Zhao Xiaoqian under a huge banner fluttering in the wind.

The same familiar face appeared before him. Zhao Xiaoqian, mounted on his horse, stood under the banner of the commander, expressionless as he watched the battle at the village in the distance. His gaze was firm and composed, as if ordering the siege and killing of the village today was nothing more than a trivial matter.

Chai Ruona walked up to Zhao Xiaoqian and bowed respectfully, saying, "Chai Ruona greets Your Highness, the Prince."

Zhao Xiaoqian withdrew his gaze, turned his head slightly, and looked at Chai Ruona in front of the horse.

Chai Ruona felt a chill run through his body, and his knees trembled involuntarily. Zhao Xiaoqian's gaze was indifferent, cold, and even seemed to carry a hint of bloodlust. He felt as if he were being stared at by a lurking tiger, which made him feel terrified.

Zhao Xiaoqian did not dismount, but simply stared at him quietly.

After a long silence, Zhao Xiaoqian suddenly smiled and said, "Lord Chongyi, we meet again. How have you been?"

Chai Ruona lowered her head to avoid his gaze and whispered, "Your Highness has mobilized troops to surround my estate. I wonder why?"

Zhao Xiaoqian said coldly, "I'm just doing my job. Someone reported that your estate is harboring He Xiong, a wanted criminal who escaped from prison and plotted rebellion. It's suspected that the Chai family are his accomplices..."

Zhao Xiaoqian grinned at the pale-faced Chai Ruona and said, "Treason is a very serious matter, and it cannot be ignored. Actually, I never expected that this matter would be involved with the Duke of Chongyi. I don't have the guts to hide this from Bianjing. The Duke of Chongyi should pray for his own good fortune."

Chai Ruona felt a chill in her heart and retorted without hesitation, "Your Highness, this is slander by treacherous people. The Chai family would never do such a treasonous thing. I beg Your Highness to investigate thoroughly and restore the innocence of my Chai family!"

Zhao Xiaoqian laughed and said, "Lord Chongyi, there's no need to be nervous. I'm just doing my job. Since this has happened, I can't just turn a blind eye, can I?"

"As for whether the Chai family is innocent, let's get He Xiong arrested first. The government has its rules. The relationship between the Chai family and the suspected treasoner will come to light after the interrogation."

"If Lord Chongyi is truly innocent, why would he be afraid of the government fabricating a false case? Don't forget that you have an ironclad certificate of merit, and even the government can't afford to offend you."

At this moment, Chai Ruona's mind raced as she pondered a way to escape punishment. After a long while, Chai Ruona remembered that the servants had reported that He Xiong had disappeared when the Imperial Guards surrounded the manor, and had most likely escaped.

He Xiong escaped, thus clearing his name of the biggest crime, which was his only chance to survive.

Then Chai Ruona said with a wronged expression, "I don't know who is framing me. I have always been cautious and law-abiding, and I would never dare to do anything against the court. I have never even heard of He Xiong, whom Your Highness just mentioned. If you don't believe me, Your Highness may send people to search the manor. If they find him, I am willing to confess my guilt!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xiaoqian's expression softened, and he laughed, "I knew it! How could the Duke of Chongyi be involved in treason? It turns out that the officials below were just spreading rumors, which almost caused me to wrong an innocent person."

Chai Ruona said with delight, "Thank you, Your Highness, for your wise judgment and for clearing my name..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhao Xiaoqian touched his nose and said slowly, "Of course, I mobilized troops and came all the way here. I can't just say I don't know He Xiong and let this matter pass. Lord Chongyi is definitely a reasonable person, right?"

Chai Ruona's expression stiffened for a moment, then she quickly forced a smile and said, "Of course, Your Highness is on duty and must investigate."

"I'll say it again: if He Xiong can be found on my estate, I'm willing to plead guilty and accept the punishment."

As the two were talking, the gunfire in front of them gradually subsided and finally stopped.

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled and said, "It seems that all the villains who resisted in the village have been killed..."

Zhao Xiaoqian glanced at Chai Ruona and said indifferently, "By the way, why did such a brave and skilled villain appear in the estate of Duke Chongyi, and even dare to resist the imperial army with force? Afterwards, please ask Duke Chongyi to explain to the court. Hmm, as I said before, handle official business officially and understand each other, right?"

Chai Ruona was sweating profusely, but forced a smile and agreed.

Zhao Xiaoqian shouted, "Zhe Keshi, send men into the village to arrest everyone, regardless of gender or social status. Take them all back to the government office for thorough investigation and interrogation. If they resist, kill them on the spot."

Zhe Keshi shouted, "Yes!"

Chai Ruona's knees buckled so much he almost knelt down. He realized that today was a major hurdle in his life. Even if the Imperial Guards hadn't captured He Xiong, the matter was still complicated by the hundreds of wanted criminals he was hiding in his manor.

It seems impossible to shake off this label of "treason".

"Your Highness... Your Highness, I am innocent!" Chai Ruona was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

Zhao Xiaoqian said with a smile, "Well, right and wrong, merits and demerits, can be found out with a simple investigation. Lord Chongyi, please rest assured. As long as your Chai family is not involved in treason, everything can be treated as if it never happened. After all, you are lucky. You were born with a title waiting for you, and you were even given a certificate of merit. I am so envious."

Chai Ruona lowered his head and remained silent. If he hadn't been involved in treason, he would have dared to jump up and punch Zhao Xiaoqian in the knees and argue with him righteously. He had never been so humble before.

However, He Xiong's presence made him feel uneasy and restless. He could only pray to the gods and Buddhas that He Xiong would escape far away, otherwise the Chai family would surely fall into an abyss of no return.

Zhe Keshi personally led his troops into the manor, knocking on doors from house to house. Whether they were ordinary farmers, relatives of the Chai family, servants, farmhands, slaves, or any other human being, they were all taken away. Anyone who dared to resist was beaten and kicked, and eventually taken away.

Chai Ruona watched the Imperial Guards arrest people without saying a word. Even when he saw the Imperial Guards abusing the servants and slaves on his own estate, he remained unmoved. At this moment, he was barely able to protect himself and had no interest in protecting his people.

After an unknown amount of time, a commotion suddenly arose in the distance. Countless imperial guards followed the sound and, on the white, misty country roads, the guards swarmed toward the source of the noise like ants.

Immediately afterward, a burst of gunfire rang out, and some people shouted excitedly. The farmhands who had been bound by the Imperial Guards also became restless.

Chai Ruona's heart was in her throat. She stared in terror at the direction where the Imperial Guards were gathered, her heart pounding like the hooves of a galloping horse.

Zhao Xiaoqian, mounted on his horse, glanced at him with a broad smile.

After a long while, a group of imperial guards came running over excitedly. They were shoving a prisoner who was bound hand and foot in the middle.

Zhe Keshi walked at the front and shouted loudly, "Your Highness, my soldiers have captured the criminal He Xiong!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Chai Ruona finally couldn't hold on any longer. Her legs went weak, and she collapsed onto the snow, her face even paler than the snow on the ground.

Zhao Xiaoqian's smile vanished instantly, his face turning frosty as he stared at Chai Ruone, who was slumped on the ground, and said coldly, "Lord Chongyi, didn't you just say that you didn't know He Xiong at all? What explanation do you have now?"

Chai Ruona's eyes were lifeless, her whole body trembled like a leaf, and she looked at the gloomy and oppressive sky with a desperate expression.

Zhao Xiaoqian shook his head and sighed, "Lord Chongyi, things have come to this point, and I can't save you anymore. He Xiong is involved in treason, and the Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice will investigate your motives for harboring He Xiong."

After a pause, Zhao Xiaoqian suddenly shouted, "Men, seize Chai Ruone, revoke his imperial edict, and send men to escort him to the Dali Temple in Bianjing!"

(End of this chapter)